Sibyl Creasey and Shirley Fuller have extracted
news articles from two old county newspapers, the Canton Herald
and the Wills Point Chronicle. These newspapers have been microfilmed
and are housed at the Van Zandt County Library of Genealogy and
Local History, located in the courthouse annex in Canton, for
the benefit of researchers. Copies of these articles are also
available by writing to the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society,
P.O. Box 1388, Canton, TX 75103. When requesting a copy, please
send a check or money order for $2 to cover cost of copying and
postage.

CANTON HERALD,
September 4, 1931

"Mr. and Mrs. Howard Heard arrived
in Canton, their old hometown, last week, coming from Taft where
they had been residing for several months. The paper understands
that this popular couple are back to stay' and this will
be good news to a multitude of friends who extend them a most
hearty welcome to the place of their early days.' Who will
be next? If Canton could get all its former citizens back as
permanent residents the corporate limits would have to be extended
and a sizable city would be the results. Why not?
"J.J. Watson celebrated his 74th birthday, August 30, with
a surprise birthday dinner at his home at China Grove, given
by his good children and wife. There were 73 present to enjoy
the day, and the dinner was spread on a long table on the front
porch with tea as the drink. It is impossible to name the good
things to eat. All enjoyed the day and late in the evening Mr.
Watson was bid goodby and with wishes for many more happy birthdays
such as this one.

"B.D. High of Canton, whose business
keeps him in close touch with all parts of the county, reports
to this paper that more sorghum syrup has been and is being manufactured
in Van Zandt this year than for the past twenty years. He says
sorghum cane mills are going in practically every community,
that the cane crop is a bumper one and that the product, when
finished into liquid form, is of exceptionally fine flavor. Mr.
High also says that he never saw a better pea crop than Van Zandt
has produced this year of all varieties, and much of it is being
ground into feed for stock, while no small amount is being processed'
against weevil and other infection and put away for family use
during the winter months. All of this is well.

"J.B. Andrews, a grocery merchant
in Los Angeles, California, died there Tuesday of last week,
his death being attributed to stomach trouble, it was said. The
deceased was a native of Van Zandt county, a son of the late
J.W. Andrews, and was born near Martins Mill in 1871. He had
been away from this county for seventeen years. The remains were
brought back to the county of his nativity, and the body was
laid to rest in the old Holly Springs cemetery last Sunday afternoon
at 2 o'clock, a large crowd attending the last rites, conducted
by a Baptist minister, Rev. Dodd, of Grand Saline. (To read more
on this long article, see original on microfilm)

"Mrs. Sarah Colen Brown, about 73,
died at her home in Canton Monday before noon, following a stroke
of paralysis early that day. Her death was a distinct shock to
her relatives and her many friends. Her remains were conveyed
to the Cox cemetery Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock for interment,
this being the family burial ground, situated about three miles
south of the Dixie Highway on the Martins Mill and Colfax road.
A large crowd attended the funeral service from Canton and from
the section of the country mentioned, where the deceased formerly
lived, the service being held at Little Hope Baptist church,
of which she was a devout member.

"Friday, August 28, Mrs. Ella Dawson,
of the Dawson community, had the privilege of calling her children
and grandchildren to a reunion at the home of her son, J.T. Dawson
at Wallace. Fifty-one were present to participate in the sumptuous
basket dinner and festivities of the day. Invited guests were
the Rev. H.J. Manley and wife of Wills Point, Mrs. Smith of Canton,
and Miss Little of Denton. Of the immediate family of Mrs. Dawson,
all were present except Mrs. E.P. Swindall of Bangs, Texas. Those
present were J.T. Dawson, Wallace; Mrs. Pledge Harris, Hayden;
and Rev. Perry Dawson of Livingston. Of the grandchildren with
their families were Blanks Dawson, Wallace; Mrs. Lucile Miller,
Hayden; and Mrs. Evelyn Tunnell, Colfax. The days program came
to a close with a devotional service lead by the preacher of
the family, Rev. Perry Dawson, Livingston, Texas.

"Frank Bowman, one of the older and
well known colored citizens of Canton, died at his home here
Tuesday and was buried Wednesday in the colored cemetery, his
funeral being largely attended. He was about 65 years old, moved
to Canton a long time ago from down around Garden Valley, and
is survived by his wife and several children. He was rated as
one of the leaders of his race, and had been in ill health for
quite a while.

"As the Herald understands it, the
Canton cemetery has been given a thorough and much needed cleaning,
which good piece of work was performed by the local Boy Scout
organization. These boys, merging into young manhood under the
leadership of Rev. R.B. Moon and Dr. T.R. Keahey, are continually
going about doing good,' and deserve the consideration
and good will of the entire citizenship. In this connection,
it deserves to be said that Jav Riley, assistant postmaster,
has been instrumental in looking after the upkeep of the cemetery
mentioned for quite awhile and for which he should at least have
the thanks of all those interested in the grounds. Contributions
toward this upkeep have been insignificant all the while, however,
every penny donated is helping a most worthy cause."